Novel Ecology, Novel Activity

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Abstract

Ecosystems are complex, dynamic, and unpredictable to change, evolve, and behave. Change is a normal part of life, and through adaptive and flexible design, we can respond to this complexity. Dynamic ecosystem and novel ecology, which is the system that results from disturbances, such as natural disasters or human implementations can affect the design intervention to the surrounding ecosystem. Such is the case where the dam can provide habitat for species, even though it has lots of negative effects on the creek.
This thesis researches the possibilities using the Southern Clubshell Mussel, as an indicator species and design catalyst to produce a form that engages the public, provide habitat, educational purposes, increase awareness, and improves watershed health.
The strategy for being adaptive, flexible, and responsive is a design that can be small enough to fail, and then altered again, without endangering the community, ecosystem, or habitat. A theoretical framework is based on the long-term performance assessment and monitoring throughout the installation, post-installation, and maintenance phases of development through the years. Studying the relationship between natural process, (such as the water flow, sediment aggregation, erosion, and run off) and design intervention, and the potential to transform a single-purposed installation into recreational, ecological awareness, and educational purposes, and offer community engagement.
The present thesis offer community partake in the novel ecology by engaging in novel activities that support the ecology and wildlife habitat. These activities promote a sense of ownership among the community, allowing them to see their part in setting initial condition and as a result, how it emerges a new ecology. These novel activities, over the time, support a change in landscape perception that leads to better habitat for species.